Mammary crest
| Mammary crest | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | crista mammaria |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The mammary crest is a primordium[1] specific for the mammary gland on the breast and is often associated with mammary gland development and breast development.
Development
The mammary crest usually appears as a narrow, microscopic ectodermal thickening during the first 7 weeks of pregnancy and grows caudally as a narrow, linear crest.[1] Mammary lines begin to shorten and ectodermal cells begin to divide and grow into the mesenchymal cell layer.[2] A basement membrane separating the expanding ectodermal crest structure and the underlying mesoderm usually remains. The mammary crest then becomes recognizable in the thoracic region in the human embryo.
A mammary crest usually stops growing at 8 weeks and its length is regressed starting at the caudal end and extending cranially,[1] so that what remains is a round, ectodermic placode where the axilla develops. When shortening of the mammary crest is complete, the structure remains prominent in the areas where the mammary glands eventually form.
References
- ^ a b c Ernst, Linda; Rucelli, Eduardo D.; Huff, Dale S. (2007). Color Atlas of Fetal and Neonatal Histology.
- ^ "Mammary Development - Fetal". University of Illinois. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
See also
External links
- Comparative Mammary Gland Anatomy by W. L. Hurley
- On the anatomy of the breast by Sir Astley Paston Cooper (1840). Numerous drawings, in the public domain.
- Breast Anatomy
- Development of the Mammary Gland (Mammogenesis) by McGill University (PDF)
- Human Breast Development by the Université de Sherbrooke (PDF)
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